Gong Hey Fat Choy! Happy Year of the Fire Monkey!

Clean the house well on Sunday, New Year's Eve. You will sweep all the old junk from last year away, to get yourself ready for a fresh start! On Monday, wear clean new clothes. You can especially wear red for good fortune! The Monkey is a witty, intelligent, but stubborn creature.... sometimes too clever for its own good! The year of the Fire Monkey will be quick changing, and if you yourself are a Monkey, you best lay low because a monkey meeting a monkey can create conflict.

You are a monkey if you were born in 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, or 1968... but if your birthday is in January, better double-check because the Chinese New Year never starts on January 1st!

Chinese New Year is widely celebrated in many countries around the world, with various symbols and traditions. Flowers are used for decoration, writings for good luck are often seen on homes, tangerines and oranges are displayed as a sign of luck and wealth, red envelopes with money are given to children as presents, and red lanterns are released on the last day of the festival.